Oyster Box Hotel

A Truly Unforgettable Day

Sitting grandly on the dramatic shoreline of the Indian Ocean overlooking the iconic lighthouse of Umhlanga, the statuesque Oyster Box has become the truly perfect place for that special day. Carefully designed for hosting a perfect wedding day, the new Oyster Box Hotel offers a range of beautiful locations for both private ceremonies and celebration receptions and functions.

A beautiful Victorian-style Gazebo, with a small amphitheatre nestled amidst a scented garden paradise, will add a memorable ambience  to your special day. Our stunning Pearl Room, displaying hand-blown Venetian crystal chandeliers, emulate the opulence of the bygone era and can comfortably accommodate  up to 120 guests.

Our Wedding Co-ordinator will assist with every detail, making it the most exceptional and breathtaking celebration, with memories to last a lifetime.

The Oyster Box Hotel offers a perfect private location for celebration of a new journey as a perfect union. With a wide choice of luxurious rooms, suites and villas, and a number of special extras to add unforgettable romantic touches to this most magical of occasions such as a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, monogrammed gowns, a rose petal turn-down, breakfast in bed and complimentary selection of DVD’s in your room, married life will start in the finest style and spirit.

Click Here to view our 2013 Wedding Compendium.
 

The Oyster Box Hotel

Originaly opened in 1947, The Oyster Box, set on Umhlanga’s prestigious beachfront, has long been one of Africa’s best-loved and most distinguished hotels, with its abundance of colonial charm, landscaped tropical gardens and breathtaking seaside setting.

Hotel ~ At A Glance

Iconic Hotel Status
All of the original exquisite tiles, murals, paintings and antique furnishings have been carefully restored to their former glory in order to preserve the colonial charm of this iconic destination.

Outstanding Cuisine
Promising perfection forthe palate, the Oyster Box’s fine dining options range from casual and comfortable to sophisticated and trendy.

Direct Beach Access
Set right on Umhlanga’s beautiful beachfront, this hotel is also within easy driving distance of Durban, the international airport and numerous regional attractions.
 

Wedding Venues

Ceremony Venue ~ The Wedding Gazebo

A beautiful romantic Victorian-style Gazebo, with a small amphitheatre nestled amidst a secluded lush, scented garden paradise, will add a memorable ambience to your special day. The wedding gazebo set in this magical tropical location can be decorated to suit each particular occasion, colour scheme and style.

Our Wedding Co-ordinator will assist with every detail, making it the most exceptional and breathtaking celebration, with memories to last a lifetime.

Capacity: Maximum seating for 100 guests and 20 standing

Reception Venues

The hotel offers a wide range of locations, each with its own distinctive decorative style and character. The elegantly sophisticated Pearl Room, resplendent with hand-blown Venetian glass chandeliers and stunning views of the iconic lighthouse and the Indian Ocean, is perfect for larger celebrations of up to 120 people. The ‘Shell Room’, ‘Durban July’, ‘Union Castle’ and ‘Colony’ Rooms are ideal for smaller and more intimate gatherings.

Pearl Room
The all-white Pearl Room, elegant, sophisticated with mirrored walls and exquisite hand-blown crystal Venetian chandeliers, with seating for up to 120 guests has stunning views of the iconic lighthouse and Indian Ocean and is the perfect reception venue for larger celebrations. The room can also be used for the wedding ceremony if required.

Shell Room
The Shell Room, with hues of blue reflecting the ocean outside, is ideal for small to medium-sized celebrations (seating for 30 guests and 50 standing) or combined with the Pearl Room, provides a larger function area.

Durban July Room
Colonial, warm and intimate, with walls covered in paintings and photographs that reveal a fascinating pictorial journey through the 50 year history of the renowned Durban July horseracing event. (For up to 50 guests)

Union Castle Room
Filled with memorabilia of the revered cruise-liner Union Castle, for up to 20 guests. (For up to 20 guests)

Colony Room
Adjacent to the Grill Room on the ground floor, this venue can be closed off for private dining and more intimate gatherings. The elegant décor in this venue is conducive to dining at its finest for up to 30 guests. (For up to 30 guests)

The Oyster Box Wedding Package, 2013

Our Gift To You: The Honeymoon Suite ~ Each Bridal Couple Receives the Following:

• Complimentary one night stay on the day of their wedding
• Luxury sea facing accommodation
• Romantic rose petal turndown
• His and Hers bathrobes with embroidered initial - A gift from our hotel
• A bottle of Bouchard Finlayson
• Complimentary first anniversary dinner in The Grill Room restaurant (Excludes beverages)

Our Venues

Ceremony: We have a beautiful secluded garden and gazebo available for intimate ceremonies
Pre Reception: Our Oyster Bar & Lounge is a wonderful venue to host your guests before the reception starts - Non exclusive venue
Reception: Our majestic Pearl Room is the perfect venue for a memorable reception

Venue Hire & Overtime

Ceremony:

• R 6,500.00 for the hire of the Ceremony venue
• Situated within the hotel’s private gardens
• Seats a maximum of 100 guests
• Gazebo and chairs included
• Oyster Box Hotel white umbrellas supplied (one per two guests)
• Please note - In the event the Ceremony is moved from the Gazebo to the Pearl Room, due to incremental weather,the venue hire for the Gazebo is non-refundable
• Excluded in this package: music, sound equipment, microphone for the Ceremony Vows, printed programmes, floral arrangements, unity candles

Pre Reception:

• Our Oyster Bar & Lounge is not an exclusive area
• No venue hire is required and no décor, music or entertainment permitted in this area

Reception:

• R 25,000.00 for the hire of The Pearl Room (maximum 120 guests)
• The package includes the following:
• High quality cream linen tablecloths
• High quality white linen napkins
• White chairs with white leather cushioned seat
• Glassware,
• crockery and cutlery
• Waitrons and bar staff (excluding gratuity)
• Silver base plates

Please Note:

• Venue hire and overtime is subject to availability of the venue
• The Pearl Room hire ends at midnight, an overtime fee of R 3,000.00 per hour will be charged thereafter
• Maximum overtime allowed till 01h30. Should you have any queries please contact our Wedding Co-ordinator
• Please be advised that the costs mentioned in this package is valid from January to December 2013

Seating Style

Bridal table - either long traditional table or round table is available
Round guest tables seat a maximum of 10 guests per table

Accommodations

The Oyster Box offers a choice of 86 luxurious rooms and suites to suit the needs of every visitor, each individually and tastefully decorated.

Your guests receive special wedding discounted rates for accommodation - please pay special attention to the block-out dates when the special wedding discounted rate is not applicable. Should your wedding take place during a block-out period (high season period) the reservations department will offer you the “best rate available”. All reservations are subject to availability.

Please advise us if you wish to receive our special accommodation rate letter which is addressed to your guests to encourage them to stay with us. The letter confirms what our special wedding guests’ stay over rate is.

Rates valid January to December 2013
Room types (single or double occupancy)

• Classic Garden Facing Room R2,250.00
• Classic Sea Facing Room R2,500.00

Quoted room rates are:

• Inclusive of full English breakfast
• Per room, per night
• Nett, non commissionable and inclusive of 14% VAT
• Subject to availability and may change without prior notification
• Exclusive of a 1% Tourism Levy

Guests of The Oyster Box receive:

• Complimentary welcome drink
• Access to the hotel’s gym and private swimming pools
• Complimentary newspaper daily
• Free access to WI-FI throughout the hotel
• Complimentary scheduled transfers to and from The Gateway Theatre of Shopping, between 08h00 and 20h00 daily

All rooms offer:

• Complimentary mineral water, tea and coffee making facilities
• Fresh fruit and flowers, plus a selection of current magazines and newspapers
• Flat screen Satellite TVs with over 25 channels to choose from
• In-room CD/DVD players
• Deluxe bathroom amenities, luxurious bathrobes and slippers
• Housekeeping service twice daily
• Soap and pillow menus
• Direct dial telephone lines with voicemail
• Heated towel rails
• Well stocked minibars
• Beach gear - sun umbrellas, beach bags, balls, bats and suntan lotion

The Honeymoon Suite

Check-in time for the complimentary Honeymoon Suite is 14h00. The bridal couple is responsible for signing in or alternatively for nominating a family member or friend to sign in on their behalf by 14h00.

It is recommended that you also book a room for the night before your complimentary wedding night at the special wedding guest discounted rate. This will allow you to check in the day before and will alleviate any unnecessary pressures and or stresses due to the time constraints for the reasons as detailed above. It is important to advise the hotel that you want a late check out of this room and find out if this is possible.

A Room to Get Ready In - For The Bride and Groom

Option 1:
The Honeymoon suite can be booked 1 x night prior to your complimentary wedding night @ a reduced rate of R3,660.00
(Subject to availability)

Option 2:
The Honeymoon suite can be made available from 10h00 on the day of your wedding @ a supplemental fee of R900.00
(Subject to availability)

Option 3:
A Classic Sea Facing room can be booked 1 x night prior to your wedding @ a rate of R 2,750.00, a supplemental fee of R900.00 will then be charged allowing you to utilize this room until 16h00 on the day of your wedding. (Subject to availability)

Parking

Parking is strictly subject to availability. The hotel has only 150 parking bays subject to hotel occupancy and conferences hosted at the hotel. Overflow parking can be arranged at the centre across the road at no additional charge.

Catering

Please note that all the catering prices are current and are subject to increase on an annual basis. Before finalizing your budget please ensure that you have received the updated menus and menu prices as they may have increased since you booked your wedding date. Please contact our Wedding Coordinator for catering options and information. 

Dance Floor

A dance floor is not required as The Pearl Room has a beautiful wooden floor, where a dance area will be demarcated.

Decor & Flowers

Please consult with our Wedding Co-ordinator for a list of preferred suppliers.

Suppliers

If you wish to receive a list of recommended suppliers, please request this from Ginny Eslick, Wedding Co-ordinator. Suppliers to be appointed by the bridal couple for the following services are:

• Photography
• Videography
• Marriage Officer / Minister / Priest for the Ceremony in the Gazebo
• Musicians for the Gazebo
• DJ/Entertainment for the reception
• Wedding cake
• Printed material such as order of service programme, reserved signs, seating plan and themed easel for seating plan, menu cards, table numbers, name cards

Please contact our Wedding Coordinator or click here for additional details and information on the Oyster Box Wedding Package, 2013.